Utoo Radio with Other News Sources - March 3, 2025 -Siikauraq Whiting, an Iñupiaq and lifelong resident of the Western Arctic Parklands, was selected for her dream job as superintendent six months ago.

The position was a culmination of her life's work, and she had previously served as Northwest Arctic Borough mayor and executive director of Native Village of Kotzebue.

However, on Valentine's Day, Whiting received the news that she had been fired along with around 30 other probationary Park Service employees statewide.

The mass firings are an effort by the Trump Administration to slash spending by downsizing the federal government.

The American Federation of Government Employees expects at least 1,300 federal employees in Alaska with probationary status to be fired, including seasonal and part-time employees like federal firefighters.

Rachel Heckerman, a career seasonal employee for the Parks Service, was fired the same day as Whiting. She found out she was fired by an email, saying she "failed to demonstrate qualifications."

Heckerman also lost her health insurance, which expires in a month, which she believes is insulting.

For many federal employees, especially those living in rural Alaska communities, losing their jobs could mean losing housing.

Some people moved across the country and then essentially just got fired and now have no housing.

Heckerman is looking for another job, and might resort to freelance work, but is reluctant to seek out another federal job due to fears that funding could become frozen or eliminated.